Adjustable back rest folding chair



Apri 3, 1951 B. F. wozNlAK 21,547,897

ADJUSTABLE BACK RESTI'OLDING .CHAIR I Filed June 4, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet1 w/FM m April 3, 1951 B. |=.y wozNlAK 2,547,397

ADJUSTABLE BACK REST FOLDING CHAIR l Filed June 4, 1947 v 2 sneets-sneet2 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT `FFICE i j 2,547,897 lADJUSTABLE BACK REST FOLDING CHAIR Brunislaw F. Wozniak, Lynn, Mass. YApplication June 4, 1947, Serial No. 752,321

This invention relates to folding chairs and has particular reference toarticles of this class com monly known as lawn chairs.

The invention has for its objectto provide an improved folding chair ofthe type referred to which will be of simple, eiiicient 4andcomparatively inexpensive construction. Another object of the inventionis to provide improved means for maintaining the parts of the chair intheir extended and useable relationship. A further object of theinvention is to provide simple and in expensive means for adjusting orvarying the angular relationship between the back of the chair and theseat of the latter.

To these ends I have provided an improved 1y claim. (ci. 155-161) chairof the class described which, in the pre- K ferred embodiment of theinvention, may be constructed as set forth in the following description,the novel features of the invention being particularly pointed out anddened in the claimV at the close of the description.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a folding chair constructed in accordancewith this invention, said chair being shown in its extended or useablecondition.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the chair shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 shows the chair of Figs. 1 and 2 in its folded or collapsedcondition.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention, when adjusted for use,comprises a pair of upstanding relatively parallel and spaced apartfront legs I0, I0, made from wood and pivotally connected intermediatetheir opposite ends as at II (Fig. 2). to the front ends of a pair ofrearwardly, inclined side-bars I2, I 2, of wood whose rear endportionsprovide rear legs to rest upon the ground.

The upper or higher portions of the side-bar I2, I2 constitute parts ofa seat which also includes a plurality of transverse seat slats I3fastened at their opposite ends by screws or other;

These wise in positions upon the side-bars I2, I2. seat slats I 3,together with .a transverse tie-rod AIII (Fig. 2) that is also fixed atits opposite ends to 2 at IB, I6 (Figs. 1 and 2) adjacent to their lowerends to the upper ends of'wooden brackets I1, I'I, fastened by screwsorV otherwise in position upon the outside of the side-bars I2, I2.

The side-bars I5 of the back rest are fitted against Jghe inner sides orfaces of the brackets I1 and therefore are disposed in the same verticalfore-and-aft plane with the side-bars I2 of the base structure with thelower extremities of the side-bars I5 in immediate proximity to arcuatesurfaces I8 provided upon the side-bars I2 of said base structure, saidarcuate surfaces I8 being concentric with the pivots I6. Thisconstruction is provided so that when the chair is in condition for usestresses imposed laterally upon the upper portion of the back restr willbe opposed by the engagement of the lower ends of the side-bars I5 withsaid arcuate surfaces, and at the same time angular adjustment of theback rest is provided for.

Each side-bar I5 of the back rest is made at its lower end with aninwardly off-set extension I9 which, through engagement with a suitablestop carried by the base structure, limits the rearward swing of itsside-bar I5 on its pivot I6. Under one condition of adjustment of theback rest the extensions I9 engage one or more of the transverse slatsI3 of the base structure to limit the rearward angular adjustment ofsaid back rest so that it is supported in the position shown by fulllines in Fig. 2. Under another condition of adjustment of the chairthese extensions of the side-bars of the back rest engage a pair ofsupplemental stop members 20, 20 (Fig. 4) that are adjustably mounted inposition against the under side of one of the slats I3 of the seat. Asshown in Figs. 1 and 4 each stop member 20 consists of an oblong blockof wood adjustably fastened to its slat 'I3 by a pair .of screws 2lwhich occupy slots 22 (Fig. 1) formed longitudinally through said block.One of these two stop blocks is disposed adjacent to one of theextensions I9 and the other block is disposed adjacent to the otherextension. The two blocks are shown in their retracted inoperativepositions but it will be clear that when they are adjusted toward andagainst the inner sides of the side-bars I2 they will occupy positionsin the paths of the extensions I 9 and serve to limit the rearwardangular adjustment of the back rest so that it is supported by saidblocks in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The upper end of eachfront leg IU is pivotally connected at 23to one endof an arm 24 whose opposite end is pivotallyconnected by a bolt 25directly to one of the side-bars I5 of the back rest. Thus while thechair is occupied the back rest acts through the arms 24 to maintain thefront legs Il] in upstanding operative position, but when the chair isnot occupied the parts thereof may be adjusted relatively on the pivotsI6, 25, 23 and Il into the compact assemblage illustrated in Fig. 3 byswinging the back rest forwardly on the pivot I6.

What I claim is:

A folding chair of the rcharacter described comprising, when in useablecondition, a pair of upstanding front legs; a pair of inclined rear legspivotally connected adjacent to their forward ends to said front legsintermediate the opposite ends of the latter and provided with aseat-'for the occupant, each of said inclined rearlegs being providedbetween its front and rear ends with an upwardly extending outwardlyolf-set bracket; fa back rest comprising a pair of side-bars pivotallyconnected 'adjacent to their lower ends to said brackets in positionswhere they are disposed in the same vertical planes with said rear legswith their lower extremitiesy in immediate proximity to arcuate surfaces.provided upon said 'rear legs which are concentric with said pivotall'connections thereby to afford lateral support to the back rest,v saidside-bars being made at their lower ends with inwardly olf-setextensions disposed between said rear legs that are engageable with theunder side of said seat to limit the rearward pivotal movement of saidback rest relatively to said rear legs, and arms pivotally connectedadjacent to their rear ends to said sidebars and also pivotallyconnected adjacent t-o their forward ends to the upper end portions ofsai'd front legs.

BRUNISLAW F. WOZNIAK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

